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Sunday, 31 August 2014

After making a card with the Bowling Alf image from DigiStamp Boutique the other day, I thought I would have a go with Bowling Betty, just to complete the couple. Thanks for the advice from bowling experts on colours for the bowls- I think I am safe with dark tones :-)

The sentiment is from this set. I will enter the card into this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge (I have used sketch 324).

Saturday, 30 August 2014

For some reason I keep coming back to this DigiStamp Boutique set wanting to make more cards. This card 'evolved' while I was making it. It wasn't what I had in mind to start with, but I am happy with the result I think. Lots of extra stamping, distressing etc. What do you think?

Friday, 29 August 2014

I saw this DigiStamp Boutique image and thought (very bad of me to stereotype so much whilst card making- I'm not like that normally) of someone I know who is retiring soon. He won't be taking up bowls- or at least I doubt it. Probably lawn bowls is much more of a young person's game anyway- it was in the Commonwealth games the other day wasn't it?
I had great fun colouring Alf and decided to make him into this fairly simple card. Loving making the 'torn out page' look the last two weeks- hole punch and a pair of scissors not a punch or die so a bit handmade :-)

I have to confess I don't know much about bowling or know anyone who does it and so you will have to excuse me if I have miscoloured the bowls themselves. The sentiment can be found here.
Visit the DSB shop before the end of the month to get Alf while he is on offer!

Thursday, 28 August 2014

This weeks ABC Christmas challenge is 'Quick and Easy'. Brilliant to get a head start and make a few cards for Christmas. Not so long left now.... I made two cards using the 'Christmas Word Art' set images from DigiStamp Boutique. Combining image+sentiment in one is perfect for quick and easy cards ;-)

Truffle is such a cute little bear from DigiStamp Boutique. Perfect for children and adult cards alike, I think. On this card I have used the new 'Truffle with flowers' image. I rediscovered how much I like making rolled up flowers on this card :-)

The sentiment is from this set.
Be sure to catch Truffle before the end of the month, while he is on offer. A huge thanks to Sally-Ann for giving me the chance to be a Guest Designer for the summer on DSB. It has been really brilliant :-)

I will enter the card into the current Stamplorations sketch challenge.

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

I think the Space Adventure set from DigiStamp Boutique is just fab.I had to have another play with it. This time I use the astronaut, shooting star and the 'You're out of this world' sentiment. The background and flag are a bit of doodling- probably should leave that to the experts in future! Don't know what inspired me to make the flag the Union Jack... Normally I am not nationalistic at all.

Monday, 25 August 2014

Have you seen the new Stan images which were released by from DigiStamp Boutique the other day? Stan looks such an honourable, trust-worthy chap doesn't he? I made this card using 'Present Stan'. The sentiment was from this set.

Sunday, 24 August 2014

I was so happy to see the other day that Sally-Ann had released a girl-y football image (Football Isla). They are a scarce commodity. I can't be the only girl who likes football. Mum is a much bigger fan that I am and this card was made with her in mind (she is a Chelsea fan, hence the colours).

The card follows this weeks Passion for Promarkers sketch. The football border was a bit of handmade doodling. Like it?

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Last Thursday was the last Met Time Message inspiration from Clare. It really has taken me on a crafty/arty journey over the summer. I can't thank Clare enough for all the time she has put into the videos and photo instructions- I wouldn't have had a clue without. I think having done 6 quite intense (for me) weeks of art journaling I am starting to come up with my own ideas. Just got to try and keep it up....
Anyway, onto the final message and again I didn't have all the suggested items. Still can't find any modelling paste. Clare suggested trying gesso mixed with talc- sounds sensible. I also thought of getting some ready mixed polyfiller from Wilko. However, Wilko is a fair walk away and my local shop didn't have any talc! I should have waited but wanted to get cracking last Friday night. In the end it would have been quicker to wait and go to the shops on Saturday- lol!
I mixed cotton wool with gesso to add my texture- took *forever* to dry! Hence I only finished the project last night. It is not regular texture, but it does work. I would only recommend it as a cheap alternative to modelling paste if you have lots of time and use thick card (my envelope was cardboard).
I spritzed/dripped with Fireworks inks and white watery-acrylic, so there is a bit of shine. The stamping was done directly onto the painted envelope and coloured with acrylics.

Quote: 'A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.'

Quote: 'No one is perfect... That's why pencils have erasers.'
The photos are of two knitting projects I made earlier in the year.

When I first saw this new set from DigiStamp Boutique, I just knew that I had to make some cards with it. The images are just perfect for little (and big) boys cards and for all those scientists (like me). (Actually, I think a lot of little girls are also fascinated by space too- who couldn't be when it is so 'out there' and unexplored (relatively).)
For my first card I used the rocket, planet (coloured to be Mars) and 'You're out of this world' sentiment.

Sunday, 17 August 2014

I don't actually know any children going back to school in September but I do know quite a few teachers who have to go back to work soon. I was using these papers on another project today and couldn't resist making a 'back to school' card with them. The image is a DigiStamp Boutique one (on offer at the moment, the sentiment is the August freebie here). I will enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers (anything goes) challenges.

I love this DigiStamp Boutique image- a cute robin wearing ear muffs. I must gets some ear muffs this winter- they are so warm and snuggly. I will enter this card into this weeks I love Promarkers (anything goes) and Sketch Saturday challenges.

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Have you seen the new Truffle images that Sally-Ann released for DigiStamp Boutique last week? They are super-duper. I couldn't wait to have a play with them. The first card uses 'Truffle and present'; the sentiment is from this new set.

Isn't he so cute??

On my second card I decided to be non-stereotypical with my colouring (my excuse- I forgot that Truffle was male and made a more girly teddy: Trufflette?).

Sunday, 10 August 2014

I am having a whale of a time with the sealife set from DigiStamp Boutique ;-) This week I wanted to make a little card to say congrats to my friend who got a new job (she has been looking since Jan). The card follows the current Stamplorations sketch challenge.

Penultimate week of Clare's Me Time Message project. Last week I started thinking about the envelops we had left (window and cardboard one) and had a mild panic- how to use the window envelop??? My first thought was to preserve the window, but then how to avoid getting it covered in gesso? Of course Clare had a much better idea- cover the window with gesso and incorporate it into the final design by doodling.
Anyway, I had a mad idea during one of my journeys to work in the week and had to give it a go yesterday. I decided to insert my journaling on cardboard into the envelop, tape up and then cut the window out totally; all before gesso-ing etc. I also thought that I would push myself to do a few things on my own on this weeks project- in previous weeks I have followed Clare's instructions quite closely. I bought some cheap oil pastels the weekend before and wanted to test out a technique Clare suggested in this older vimeo movie. It was all a learning curve and I adapted things as I went.

Front.

I diecut shapes, gesso-ed, oil pastels in yellow and green. Then clear embossing (you can just see on the photos I hope), a swipe of stazon black ink round the edge and stamping in black.

The front was spritzed with fireworks blue ink (it didn't really stick that well!). Some doodling to finish off plus quote).

Quote: 'If a problem can be solved, why worry?' (and of course if t can't be solved, there is not point worrying).

Back.

The back was the same. This time I used the waste from the flower diecuts on the front to make smaller flowers. Instead of spritzing with fireworks I wiped over with archival ink and a blue oil pastel.

I will enter this project into this months Stamplorations challenge (stamps and diecuts- using the Stamplorations happy sentiment builders stamps).

Baby T is nearly one (where has that year gone??) and as ever I wanted to make him something for his birthday. I don't have as much time now I am working and so crochet/knitting was not possible (plus he probably is sick of my knitted toys ;-)). I had an idea of making some bunting for his bedroom. What do you think?

Each of the images is from the Bon Voyage set by DigiStamp Boutique. Quite simple, but I hope he likes it.

Monday, 4 August 2014

Week four already! Where is the summer going to? Another super project and video from Clare to inspire us all. This is my take on it:

I opted for a padded envelope this week. Had actually started to gesso it before watching Clare's video- a bit of a coincidence :-) Not having any Intense ink blocks I did things a little differently- gesso, then white paint, followed by lightly marking out my patchwork with a pencil. Painted the blocks with acrylics and then stamped in black on top.

Another 'make do' was a lack of suitable washi tape. Instead I used some old quilling paper strips that I have had for ages and ages. The relief detail was added with black silk paint gutta that I found at the bottom of a box (lol). The photos are of course meant to represent that it is better to see a glass as half full than half empty and the quotes are (top) : 'Yesterday is not ours to reverse, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose' (not sure now if I find this inspirational or not- a bit of pressure really isn't it to make the most of everyday, whereas in reality there are good and bad ones...) and (bottom): 'We can complain that rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses'.

Sunday, 3 August 2014

It is never a bad thing to make a few Christmas cards- saves that last minute December panic. I was inspired by Kathy's CMLI Rudolph challenge of non traditional colours and trees for these two cards. They both follow this weeks Sketch Saturday layout.

I'm not a pink girl at all, and have amazed myself with how pink I have made this card ;-). The image is from the Bailey Reindeer set from DigiStamp Boutique.

A friend is going to move house soon and so I thought I would make a card in preparation. This little card uses a DigiStamp Boutique image from this set and this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday layout. I will also enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge.